BMW to axe 850 jobs at Mini plant

Car manufacturer BMW has revealed 850 jobs are to be axed at its Mini plant near Oxford.

The move will affect weekend agency workers at the Cowley factory and will begin on March 2 when the company will move from a seven-day week to five.

The German-owned group issued a statement which said: "While Mini has been weathering the economic downturn, it is not immune from the challenges of the current situation.

"Against this backdrop the company felt that a review of its shift patterns was necessary. This decision has not been taken lightly. The plant's union representatives have, of course, been involved in the discussions."

A huge dip in sales also means no cars will be produced at the factory this week. Because nearly a third of the staff at Cowley are agency workers they will not receive redundancy pay.